Vuttañhetaṃ bhagavatā ­vuttama­rahatāti me sutaṃ:

“Yāni kānici, bhikkhave, opadhikāni puñ­ñakiri­ya­vatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṃ nāgghanti soḷasiṃ. Mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yā kāci tārakarūpānaṃ pabhā sabbā tā candiyā pabhāya kalaṃ nāgghanti soḷasiṃ, candapabhāyeva tā adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evamevaṃ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici opadhikāni puñ­ñakiri­ya­vatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṃ nāgghanti soḷasiṃ, mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vassānaṃ pacchime māse saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve ādicco nabhaṃ abbhus­sakka­māno sabbaṃ ākāsagataṃ tamagataṃ abhivihacca bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evamevaṃ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici opadhikāni puñ­ñakiri­ya­vatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṃ nāgghanti soḷasiṃ, mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rattiyā paccūsasamayaṃ osadhitārakā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evamevaṃ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici opadhikāni puñ­ñakiri­ya­vatthūni sabbāni tāni mettāya cetovimuttiyā kalaṃ nāgghanti soḷasiṃ, mettāyeva tāni cetovimutti adhiggahetvā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati cā”ti. Etamatthaṃ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṃ iti vuccati: 

“Yo ca mettaṃ bhāvayati,
appamāṇaṃ paṭissato;
Tanū saṃyojanā honti,
passato upadhikkhayaṃ.

Ekampi ce pāṇama­duṭṭha­citto,
Mettāyati kusalo tena hoti;
Sabbe ca pāṇe manasānukampaṃ,
Pahūtamariyo pakaroti puññaṃ.

Ye sattasaṇḍaṃ pathaviṃ vijitvā,
Rājisayo yajamā­nā­nu­pariyagā;
Assamedhaṃ purisamedhaṃ,
Sammāpāsaṃ vājapeyyaṃ niraggaḷaṃ.

Mettassa cittassa subhāvitassa,
Kalampi te nānubhavanti soḷasiṃ;
Candappabhā tāragaṇāva sabbe.

Yo na hanti na ghāteti,
na jināti na jāpaye;
Mettaṃso sabbabhūtesu,
veraṃ tassa na kenacī”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Sattamaṃ.

Tatiyo vaggo.

Cittaṃ mettaṃ ubho atthe,
puñjaṃ vepulla­pabba­taṃ;
Sam­pajā­na­musā­vādo,
dānañca mettabhāvanā.

Sattimāni ca suttāni,
purimāni ca vīsati;
Ekadhammesu suttantā,
satta­vīsati­saṅga­hāti.

Ekakanipāto niṭṭhito.